Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 239: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> ee SE ae ee ee 226 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. Sess S a LLL LE —_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_——_———————————————————————— eel “And is it not outrage sufficient,” she asked | almost immediately; and with the completest seif- bitterly, “to be- jilted by a man—to be treated | possession he advanced with extended hand to- 33 with scorn and contempt “ Rather than give way to this rage and despair, Beatrice,” I said, “ go down upon your knees and thank heaven that you did not accompany such a person to the altar !” “ Your words, Ellen,” she answered, after a long pause, and with a look altering favourably, “ have infused new ideas into my mind. Yes, yes! I ought to be grateful! But tell me—have you re- vealed anything to my sister?” “Nothing,” I rejoined. “ Yet she will expect me to tell her something—it was she who sent for me to come hither and Ob, Beatrice! the duplicity with which you have acted ‘i: “Do not blame me—do not upbraid me!” cried the Countess vehemently ; “I am already suffering enough! For heaven’s sake keep wy secret ! Leave me now, dear Ellen! I shall grow calm presently—your visit has already done me good— and it shall be with more composed looks, that I will next meet my sister. Come fo me agsin in the evening—and I will tell you everything that happened.” She pressed my hand; and I left her. Return- ing to the Marchioness, I simply said, “Beatrice is more tranquil now—her mind is growing settled. Go to her—do rot harass her with questions—but speak soothingly and kindly, Your ladyship will perceive that her mood is changed.” The Marchioness expressed her fervid gratitude for the assurances I thus gave her: and I tooka temporary leave of her ladyship, informing her that I was to call in the evening. On re-entering my carriage, I proceeded to visit some shops where I had purchases to make, until if was about five o'clock, when I ordered the coachman to drive to South Street, Park Lane. The equipage stopped in front of a house of imposing aspect ; a servant in a superb livery opened the front door ; and on my inquiring for Miss Tremaine, he requested me to follow him. He threw open the door of a hand- somely furnished apartment on the ground floor : but he did not announce my name,—probably be- cause he had been ordered to show me thither at once on my arrival, or else because he did not at the moment know that there was any one in that room atall. He stepped aside—lI crossed the threshold—two persons were within that room —but so absorbed were they in their own interest- ing conversation that they evidently had not heard the opening of the door. I stopped short in amazement, and with what other commingling feelings the reader may possibly imagine better than I can describe them, when in the young man who had his arm thrown round Charlotte Tre- maine’s graceful form, and up into whose counte- nance she was tenderly gazing, I at once recognised Ludovico Marano. I do not know whether any ejaculation escaped my lips—but I remember perfectly well that the Italian was the first of the two lovers who pers ceived me; and instantaneously withdrawing his aro: from about Charlotte Tremaine’s waist, he said, “Ah, Miss Perey! Have I indeed the honour of meeting you again ?” It struck me for a moment that there was in his looks something more than the mere confusion | wards me. JI was completely astounded by the effrontery of this conduct on his part: but still I was so far the mistress of my own actions as to avoid giving him my hand in indication of friend- ship. “For heaven’s sake, be good and generous to- wards me, Miss Percy!” was the hasty whisper which emanating from Ludovico’s lips, now fell upon my ear. “My dear Miss Perey,” immediately afterwards exclaimed Charlotte Tremaine, now hastening for- ward and taking me by the hand, which she pressed warmly, “a thousand weleomes! I was waiting at home to receive you according to the message which I sent by our mutual friend Jane Parks! I see,” she continued, with a slight blush upon her countenance, “that it is unnecessary to present Signor Marano to you, as you have eyvi- dently met before.” ** Did I not tell you, Charlotte,” inquired Ludo- vico—and I perceived that his eyes flashed an un- easy glance towards me,—“ did I noé tell you that I had the honour of meeting Miss Perey—on one or two occasions—at the Marquis of Campa- nella’s vi “No, Ludovico !” ejaculated Miss Tremaine: “TI am sure you said not a syllable upon the sub- ject when we met the other day in Calais; and you know that during the ten minutes or quarter of an hour we have now been together, the dis- course has been on another subject.” “True !? sa#id Ludovico. “ But rest assured that though I did not mention to you, Charlotte, that I had met Miss Perey and that she and tie celebrated Miss Trafford were one and the same person, I bad not the less appreciated the honour of her acqtaintahce—TI had not the less felt proud - “Ob, if you had told me the other day at Calais,” ejaculated Charlotte, “that you knew Miss Trafford, I should have overwhelmed you with questions! But, as Miss Percy herself is aware, if was not until yesterday that I learnt how the name of Trafford was but an assumed one, and that she was privately known to her friends as Miss Percy.” While Charlotte was thus speaking with her wonted enthusiasm, Ludovico Marano was bending upon me a look which I could full well under- stand: it was significant of a hope that I would say nothing which could in any way prejudice him in the mind of Miss Tremaine. He was evidently uneasy : he saw that he ought to take his depar- ture and leave me and Charlotte together; but on the other hand he did not like to abandon us toa téte a-téte 1m which he thought that 1 might perhaps give utterance to certain truths which would not be very agreeable to the young lady’s ears. “ May I ask, Miss Percy,” he inquired, “ whether you have recently seen our mutual friends the Mar- quis and Marchioness of Campanella ?” ‘‘ Within the few past hours I have seen her ladyship,” was my response: and then, looking the Italian steadily in the face, I added, “ And I have likewise seen the Countess of Carboni.” * Ah!” he ejaculated with a sudden start—but produced by this surprise: but if so,it disappeared | still it was so slight that only I myself perceived Gomichboo